Arunachal Villagers Threaten Protests Over Stalled Naying Hydro Project Payments

Itanagar: Villagers and landowners from Yapik met Thursday to demand action on the Naying Hydro Electric Project. They adopted five specific resolutions regarding land acquisition and compensation delays. Taya Yabu chaired the community gathering in Dibrugarh. Tensions are rising.

The group wants the Arunachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board to answer a memorandum filed during a December 17, 2025 public hearing. That document remains ignored. They are now demanding an immediate response.

Compensation must follow the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act of 2013. The assembly insists that officials include medicinal plants, cane, and bamboo in current assessments based on market rates. A government order from May 2, 2026, already mandates that authorities finish all pending bills and disbursements.

Protests are coming. The residents vowed to launch peaceful and lawful demonstrations if the government and project managers continue to stall. “We are not against development, but the rights of our local landowners and the preservation of our ecology cannot be bypassed. We expect the authorities to honour the law, protect our forest resources, and clear the assessments immediately as mandated by the government,” said Taya Yabu.